白小琦《巧克力英语》第16课:钟楼的传说

2016-09-02 来源：巧克力英语评论0条

There used to be no Bell Tower at the center of Xi’an city before the Ming Dynasty, which was lasted from 1368 to 1644 A.D. It is very interesting that the tower was built because of superstition holding by the ancient people.

During the Ming Dynasty, a very bad earthquake happened in Xi’an and its surrounding area and destroyed many houses and killed many people. Both citizens and the mayor of Xi’an city were suffered terribly from that disaster. Having no knowledge at all about the reason of the earthquake, the mayor went to visit a great fengshui master and asked him for the reason of the earthquake.

“Well, Mr. Mayor,” answered the fengshui master, “the reason the earthquake happened in Xi’an city is that there is a huge dragon hidden underneath the city with its head resting on the slope just outside the north city gate and its tail at the center of the city. The earthquake happened whenever the dragon was shaking.”

“Would you please, master, tell me how to stop that dragon from shaking again?” the mayor requested.

“Well, in order to stop the earthquake, you have to fix the dragon first. And in order to fix the dragon, a tower must be built on the top over the ground where there is the dragon’s tail.”

The mayor took the fengshui master’s idea and went back to do what the master said.

To believe it or not, no bad earthquake ever happened again since the Bell Tower had been built at the center of Xi’an city, where there was the huge dragon’s tail underneath by the fengshui master.
Now the Bell Tower is still standing there as a remarkable landmark of Xi’an city reminding the tourists from all over the world of the marvelous Chinese ancient architecture. But who knows the story of the reason about construction of the tower? You think I am lying? Then why the village, on the slope just outside the north city gate, is still being called Dragon’s Head Village besides the fact that no bad earthquake ever happened after the Bell Tower had been finished?

课文注释

There used to be no Bell Tower at the center of Xi’an city before the Ming
在明朝（公元1368年至1644年）之前，西安市中心本来没有钟楼。
Dynasty, which was lasted from 1368 to 1644 A.D. It is very interesting that the tower
有趣的是，
was built because of superstition holding by the ancient people.
钟楼的修建与古人的迷信有关。
During the Ming Dynasty, a very bad earthquake happened in Xi’an and its
明朝期间，西安及其附近地区发生了一起强烈地震。
surrounding area and destroyed many houses and killed many people. Both citizens
地震中许多房屋倒塌、人员死亡。
and the mayor of Xi’an city were terribly suffered from that disaster. Having no
西安市市民和市长都在那场灾难中中经受了巨大的磨难。
knowledge at all about the reason of the earthquake, the mayor went to visit a great
由于对地震的原因一无所知，当时的西安市长便去探访一位风水大师，
fengshui master and asked him for the reason of the earthquake.
向其探询地震的原因。
“Well, Mr. Mayor,” answered the fengshui master, “the reason the earthquake
“市长先生，”风水先生答道：“西安市发生地震的原因是因为
happened in Xi’an city is that there is a huge dragon hidden underneath the city with
西安市的地底下藏着一条巨龙，巨龙的头就躺在北门外的斜坡上，
its head resting on the slope just outside the north city gate and its tail at the center of
龙的尾巴就在市中心。
the city. The earthquake happened whenever the dragon was shaking.”
每当巨龙摆动的时候，就有地震发生。”
“Would you please, master, tell me how to stop that dragon from shaking again?”
“那么，先生，请告诉我如何才能阻止巨龙的摆动哪？”
the mayor requested.
市长请求道。
“Well, in order to stop the earthquake, you have to fix the dragon first. And in
“为了防止地震，你首先必须固定巨龙。
order to fix the dragon, a tower must be built on the top over the ground where there
而为了固定巨龙，又必须在龙尾所在的地面上修建一座塔。”
is the dragon’s tail.”
The mayor took the fengshui master’s idea and went back to do what the master
市长采纳了风水大师的主意，回去照着大师的话行事。
said.
To believe it or not, no bad earthquake ever happened again since the Bell Tower
信不信由你，自从在风水大师指定的巨龙尾巴所在地的西安市市中心建塔之
had been built at the center of Xi’an city, where there was the huge dragon’s tail
后，西安市再也没有大地震发生。
underneath by the fengshui master.
Now the Bell Tower is still standing there as a remarkable landmark of Xi’an city
现在，钟楼依然作为西安市的标志性建筑屹立在西安市中心，
reminding the tourists from all over the world of the marvelous Chinese ancient
向全世界的旅游者展示中国古代非凡的建筑奇迹。
architecture. But who knows the story of the reason about construction of the tower?
但是，又有谁知道古人修建钟楼的故事哪？
You think I am lying? Then why the village, on the slope just outside the north city
你以为我在撒谎吗？那么，除去钟楼建好之后西安再无地震发生的事实之外，为
gate, is still being called Dragon’s Head Village besides the fact that no bad
什么西安市北门外斜坡上的村子直到现在仍然被称为龙首村哪？
earthquake ever happened after the Bell Tower had been finished?

日常会话

A: Will you do me a favor, please?
B: Sure, what’s the matter with you?
A: Would you mind mailing this letter for me?
B: No problem, It’s a piece of cake. I’ll do it on my way to the school. By the way, could you lend me six dollars?
A: No, I’m not a banker.
B: That’s OK. Forget it.
A: How far is it to the Tsinghua University?
B: Oh, there is a long way to go if you want to go to that school.
A: I know it’s very hard to go to that school, but I mean how many miles is it to that school.
B: It’s about 2 miles.
A: Which direction is it to the movie theater?
B: Go that way for two blocks, and then turn left. You can’t miss it.
A: Hi, John. You are wanted on the telephone.
B: Hello, who is it?
A: It’s me, Peter. I’d like to make an appointment to see Dr. Cratty. Could you arrange it for me now, please?
B: I’m afraid I can’t do it right now. Dr. Cratty is very tired.
A: Do you have any idea why Dr. Cratty is so tired?
B: He worked very hard all day today. Would you like to leave a message?
A: No, thanks. I’ll call back later.
B: If you have time, will you call him tomorrow?
A: Oh, I can call him back any day except tomorrow.

英语故事

汉语中的‘吃’在英语中叫‘eat’。我们中国人请客时，为了表示热情, 总会劝客人：吃，吃，吃，放开吃！但是，将这句话翻给同桌就餐的英美人士时，决不可以说成：Eat, eat, eat, eat a lot! 为了表示热情，我们只需说：Enjoy yourself. Make yourself at home.就非常到位了。

我们中国人特别饿的时候会说：我都要饿死了。或者说：我饿得前心贴后心。同样的情形，美国人会说：I’m starving, I can eat a horse. 这跟前文的汉语表述有异曲同工之妙。

汉语中的食言，英语就是to eat one’s words. 字面和内容基本是表里如一的。在下面这段话中：One thing I do know something about—playing the stock market. And I’ll eat my hat if it doesn’t go up another three hundred points by the end of the year. (有一样东西我懂一些，那就是炒股。要是今年底股票价格不上涨300点的话，我就不姓黄。) Eat one’s hat的意思就是：如果某人错了, 他就不姓张后不姓王等等。

喜鹊用英文讲叫做magpie. 在汉语中喜鹊代表着吉祥，而在英语中magpie除了表示喜鹊鸟本身外，还表示饶舌之人。同样一件事物，在不同的文化之中含义有时迥然不同。乌鸦的英文词汇是crow. 英语中有to eat crow一说。但是，to eat crow的意思并不是吃乌鸦。to eat crow表示忍辱, 屈服; 丢脸; 被迫收回自己说的话; 被迫认错等等。

现在请读以下英文：“Hey, buddy, you know that girl in the English class you like so much, the one who won’t pay any attention to you? Well, eat your heart out, buddy—I’m taking her out for dinner and a movie Saturday night.”文中 eat your heart out是什么意思呢？是：把你的心吃出来吗？不是的，eat your heart out的意思是感到痛苦或沉痛；极度嫉妒、被嫉妒心苦苦折磨着。所以，以上英语短文的意思是：嘿！哥们，你知道英语课上你特别喜欢而又不理睬你的那个女孩吗？哥们，你难过去吧！周六晚上我要带她出去吃晚饭、看电影啦！

课后练习：请正确朗读、理解以下日常会话

A: Will you do me a favor, please?
请问能不能给帮个忙？
B: Sure, what’s the matter with you?
当然可以。你怎么了？
A: Would you mind mailing this letter for me?
你在不在意替我把这封信给寄了？
B: No problem, It’s a piece of cake. I’ll do it on my way to the school. By the way, could you lend me six dollars?
没问题，小事一桩。我在去学校的路上给你寄。顺便问一下，能不能给我借6美与那美圆？
A: No, I’m not a banker.
不行，我不是开银行的。
B: That’s OK. Forget it.
那好，算了吧。
A: How far is it to the Tsinghua University?
去清华大学有多远？
B: Oh, there is a long way to go if you want to go to that school.
奥，要想上那所学校，你要有很长的路要走。
A: I know it’s very hard to go to that school, but I mean how many miles is it to that school.
我知道要上那所学校很难。我的意思是去那所学校有多少英里？
B: It’s about 2 miles.
大约有2英里。
A: Which direction is it to the movie theater?
去电影院走哪个方向？
B: Go that way for two blocks, and then turn left. You can’t miss it.
走那条路过两个街区，然后左转。你肯定会看到的。
A: Hi, John. You are wanted on the telephone.
嗨，约翰。有电话找你。
B: Hello, who is it?
喂！哪位？
A: It’s me, Peter. I’d like to make an appointment to see Dr. Cratty. Could you arrange it for me now, please?
是我，比德。我想约见克拉蒂博士。你现在能不能给我安排？
B: I’m afraid I can’t do it right now. Dr. Cratty is very tired.
我恐怕现在不行。克拉蒂博士非常疲劳。
A: Do you have any idea why Dr. Cratty is so tired?
你知不知道克拉蒂博士为什么如此疲劳？
B: He worked very hard all day today. Would you like to leave a message?
他今天整整辛苦了一天。你要不要留个口信？
A: No, thanks. I’ll call back later.
不了，谢谢。我回头再打电话。
B: If you have time, will you call him tomorrow?
如果你有时间，你明天会给他打电话吗？
A: Oh, I can call him back any day except tomorrow.
奥，除了明天我那天都可以打。

本课要求：

1 正确朗读、理解课文；
2 熟记课中的英语故事；
3 熟读日常会话。

白小琦《巧克力英语》第16课:钟楼的传说 - 1

作者白小琦，陕西省清涧县人，中国首支国家柔道队队员，教育学硕士学位，美国UCLA访问学者，Concordia College汉语及中国文化学分老师，现定居悉尼。

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